There are conventionally known copying machines provided, under the main body thereof, with a desk for accommodating several paper feed cassettes in tiers. Those copying machines are capable of storing copy papers of various sizes in the cassettes, feeding laterally or longitudinally oriented paper, and automatically selecting paper to be fed, thereby reducing the operation required for changing papers to be used (see Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 192637/1986 (Tokukaisho 61-192637)).
In such an apparatus, it is essential that a top sheet in a stack of copy papers stored in the cassette be lifted up until it comes in contact with a pick-up roller, in order to be picked up and sent out by the pick-up roller. Several approaches to meet the above requirement have been provided. For example, Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 59245/1981 (Tokukaisho 56-59245) and Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 59251/1981 (Tokukaisho 56-59251) disclose a paper feed cassette having a paper holding plate that is pivotally disposed for lifting up paper and a lever for raising the paper feeding end of the holding plate.
However, when the above arrangement is employed in a copying machine having a cassette that can be mounted in and removed from the main body of the copying machine for supplying paper in the cassette or setting a paper jam, if the cassette is taken out from the main body with the pivotal paper holding plate being raised, the paper feeding end of the holding plate touches with the feeding mechanism provided in the main body, resulting in damage to both holding plate and feeding mechanism.